Disney Fairytale Designer Collection - Heroes & villains collection 2016
The Alice set will be a good indication of how much people want a variety of characters. As much as we say Disney needs to branch out, it's the princesses that draw the biggest crowd. I really want to see rarer characters, so I hope people receive Alice well. I think Disney also looks at the secondary market, so I can't say Peter Pan was the success Disney looks for, but that set was pretty impressive (I still regret passing on it).
My biggest complaint about the designer dolls is the way they cram 2 dolls into that small case. My best friend got me the Cinderella set, and while I love it, I think I have to rebox them somehow. The point of the designers AND that display case are to show off the details. Instead, they squish everything inside and even conceal a lot of the details. Cinderella's dress looks silly sewn up the way it is.
If they do a wave of rarer characters, they have to get the numbers right. 6,000 is a LOT for a LE release. I can't see them pushing that many units for Esmeralda (one of my all-time faves), Megara, Jane, or Kida.
I'm guessing you're a new collector?
Here's 2015's release schedule:
17" Dolls:
March:
- Summer Anna
- Kristoff
- Regal Elsa
August/September:
- Teal Jasmine
- Red Jasmine
- Aladdin
- Jafar
- Jasmine/Aladdin Platinum Set
November:
- Frozen Fever Elsa
- Frozen Fever Anna
Designer Dolls:
- Snow White/Hag
- Elsa/Hans
- Elsa/Hans (D23)
- Pan/Hook
- Rapunzel/Gothel
- Ariel Ursula
So in total, Disney released 16 dolls last year.
If we go by years:
2014: 12 dolls
2015: 16 dolls
2016: 11 dolls
Honestly.... Just by observation, i would say money isn't the issue with most of the collectors. If they want something, they'll figure out a way to pay for it. I know some people do care about the budget, but the majority favor the doll over the budget.
Also, it has been over a month since we placed the orders for the Beauty and the Beast dolls, so they spaced them out quite well compared to last year's releases. Last year's releases immediately sold out within the hour (save for a couple I think). And a tentpole character like Cinderella should never last more than the hour mark. That in of itself shows how poorly this line is being received. Also, as a lot of people have mentioned, the chances of them getting the platinum set is very slim, so they're not even gonna try and also, a lot don't think the doll is worth the $750. And again, Aladdin came out last year with a platinum set and that didn't change the spending pattern.
Also take into account the lack of merchandise this year. Art of Belle barely got any good merchandise and they didn't release any designer merchandise, especially the pins and the lithos. So that's a lot of money that collectors would have saved and spent on the dolls.
Which leads me to my initial conclusion that interest is running low and Disney would be wise to cut the line. It's heading towards a dead end.
I'm not attacking you or anything, but I just thought I'd enlighten my side of the discussion.
I think it also comes down to selection. I was going to buy Cinderella/Tremaine and then I decided not to. Instead I bought the new She-Ra by Mattel. The presentation box was amazing and it's something that hasn't been done before.
Actually, there has been an insane amount of Alice merchandise released this year already. On the high-end side there were two separate Harveys bag releases AND a Dooney's release. There was a ton of merch for the new Alice film. There have been a ton of pins released for the 65th anniversary year of the animated film. It's been a crazy expensive year if you're an Alice collector - and that's not even counting these dolls.I was certain that Peter Pan/Hook was going to sell fast, but it didn't. Everyone seemed very excited about that set. The same might happen with Alice. but I don't think that should stop Disney from making more merchandise of the characters.
One good example being The Nightmare Before Christmas. You could Never find anything from that movie. Maybe once in a few years something would come out. Disney gave Nightmare a big push, and now you can't walk into Any store without seeing it. Releasing one doll or a shirt or something once every year or so is not going to suddenly create demand for the characters, they need to be visible all the time. Some things will sell well, other things won't. If there was suddenly an Alice springtime type event, you can be sure there'd be more merchandise of the characters.
Actually, there has been an insane amount of Alice merchandise released this year already. On the high-end side there were two separate Harveys bag releases AND a Dooney's release. There was a ton of merch for the new Alice film. There have been a ton of pins released for the 65th anniversary year of the animated film. It's been a crazy expensive year if you're an Alice collector - and that's not even counting these dolls.
I'm really surprised that the set is still available online, but in a way it is a relief too. My store seems to be the only one anyone mentioned so far which had clearly more people in the raffle than doll sets (like, around double). No idea why that is but it made me anxious about my luck for the next releases. So, seeing that I will likely get a decent chance online if I lose out in the raffle helps me feel more relaxed. I already knew that they are almost certainly ending this line here, so my main thing is that I just want to be able to get my sets.
That She-Ra is AMAZING, they put so much gorgeous detail in the doll, her outfits, her boxes, even the outer box.... I mean that was obviously a collector's piece made with loving care to be a true homage to She-Ra, it is really so good. Mattel doesn't usually do such a shockingly great job, that doll was probably the highlight of my whole summer (even more than traveling, and I LOVE traveling).
I do think that Cindy & Tremaine are gorgeous, too. They can't compare to that She-Ra, but I can't think of much that can.
For which my wallet is exceedingly grateful.All true ... but it will be five years (next big anniversary) before we see this volume again!
How did you get her? Did you have to go to a Comic Con?
That She-Ra is AMAZING, they put so much gorgeous detail in the doll, her outfits, her boxes, even the outer box.... I mean that was obviously a collector's piece made with loving care to be a true homage to She-Ra, it is really so good. Mattel doesn't usually do such a shockingly great job, that doll was probably the highlight of my whole summer (even more than traveling, and I LOVE traveling).
I do think that Cindy & Tremaine are gorgeous, too. They can't compare to that She-Ra, but I can't think of much that can.
And just to remain on topic...Cinderella and Lady Tremaine are still available. I am shocked as this is the best depiction of Cinderella they made so far albeit a few movie non-accuracies. I guess that if this doesn't kill the Designer line then nothing will.
I was at the Disney Store today (they still have multiple Cinderella/Tremaine sets left, and only sold 2 on the day of!) and I was talking with an employee about the line and explained why I passed on Cinderella/Tremaine (the ripped dress) and she said that she's heard the same reasoning from multiple regular doll collectors who passed. I wonder if the dress being intact would have made her more appealing for people.
both cinderella side by side
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